Concrete ventilating block



June 1933- G. T. RICHARDS ,2

CONCRETE VENTILATING BLOCK Filed Dec. 29, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 43@Zfiz'ckawda June 13, 1933. G. T. RICHARDS CONCRETE VENTILATING BLOCKFiled Dec. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. T. RICHARDS CONCRETEVENTILA'IYING BLOCK "June 13,

Filed Dec. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 13, 1933. a. T. RICHARDS1,914,294 CONCRETE VENTILATING BLOCK 7 Filed Dec. 29, 1950 4'Sheets-Sheet 4 g/HI Patented June 13, 1 933 f UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE GEORGE T. RICHARDS, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON CONCRETE VENTILATINGBLOCK Application filed December 29, 1930. Serial No. 505,389.

' interlocking the blocks and novel means being supplied for providing aventilation through the completed walls.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the 1nventionappertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as thedescription pro-.

ceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of partsand in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, itbeing understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows in elevation, a portion of a wall constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approx1- mately on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an end view of one of the base blocks;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan of the lower wall block;

Figure 7 is a top plan of the lower wall block;

Figure 8- is a side elevation of the lower wall block;

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the lower wall block;

Figure 10 is a plan of the junction block;

Figure 11 is a section taken approximately on the line 11- 11 of Figure10, showing how blocks are interengaged with the junction block ofFigure 10.

Figure 12 is a bottom plan of one of the corner blocks;

shown in Figure 12;

Figure 13 is a top plan of the corner block Figure 14 is a sideelevation of the block depicted in Figures '12 and 13.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings,

there is shown a wall constructed in accord ance with the invention, andembodying a superstructure 1, a base 2, and a foundation 3. Thesuperstructure 1 is made up of upper wall blocks 4 shown in Figure 1,lower wall blocks 5, shown in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, 'junction'blocks 6,shown in Figures 10 and 2, partition blocks 7, shown in Figure 2, andcorner blocks 8, shown in Figures 1', 12, 13 and 14.

The lower wall block 5 will be described first, in detail, and in thisconnection, let Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 be noted. c

The lower wall block 5 comprises a body 9, supplied at one end with anoverhanging upper'arm 10, and supplied at its opposite end with avprojecting lower arm 11. There is an inclined shoulder 12, at one end ofthe body 9, the shoulder 12 being located at the inner end of thelowerarm' 11. There is an inclined shoulder 14 at the opposite end ofthe body 9, the shoulder 14 being disposed at the inner end of the upperarm 10. The lower arm 11 has an inclined end 15 that is parallel to theshoulder 14. The upper arm lOhas an inclined end 16 which is parallel tothe shoulder12. V On the inclined end 16 of the upper arm 10, there arevertical, outstanding, parallel ribs 17 adapted to enter correspondinglyshaped grooves 18 formed in the shoulder 12 r of the body 9. 'On theinclined end 15 of the lower arm 11, there is an outstanding V- shapedlug 20, adapted to be received in a correspondinglyshaped seat 19,formed in the shoulder 14 of the body 9. o

On the lower surface of the upper arm 10, there is a depending taperedprojection 21 that is spaced from the shoulder 14. The

projection 21 is adapted to be received in'a correspondingly shapedsocket 22 formed in the upper surface of the lower arm 11. Depending rib23 extends between the projection 21 and the shoulder 14. This rib 23 isadapted to be received in a correspondingly shaped longitudinal groove24, formed in the upper surface of the lower arm 11 and extending fromthe socket 22 outwardly across the upper end of the lug 20 on the end 15of the lower arm 11. On the upper surface of the body 9 and on the upperarm 10 there are parallel longitudinal ribs 25, adapted to be receivedin a longitudinal recess 26 formed in the lower surface of the body 9and of the lower arm 11. In the lower surface of the body 9 and of thelower arm 11, and more specifically, in the top wall of the recess 26,there is a reduced longitudinal groove 27 adapted to register with acorresponding longitudinal groove 28 formed in the upper surface of thebody 9 and of the arm 10, the groove 28 being disposed between the ribs25. The body 9 has a vertical passage 29 communicating with the grooves27 and 28. In one side of the body 9 of the lower wall block there is anopening 30 which communicates with the vertical passage 29. This opening30 is the characteristic feature of the lower wall block 5. Aside fromthe opening 30, the upper wall block 4 is like the lower wall block 5,the upper wall block 4 simply being devoid of the opening 30.

In laying up the superstructure 1, using the blocks 4 and 5, the upperarm is dis posed above the lower arm 11 of an adjoining block. The end16 of the upper arm 10 abuts against the shoulder 12 on the body 9. Theend 15 of the lower arm 11 abuts against the shoulder 14 of the body 9.The projection 21 on the upper arm 10 is received in the socket 22 ofthe lower arm 11. The rib 23 of the upper arm 10 is received in thegroove 24 of the lower arm 11. The lug on the end of the lower arm 11 isreceived in the seat 19 that is formed in the shoulder 14 of the body 9.The ribs 17 on the end of the upper arm 10 are received in the grooves18 of the shoulder 12 of the body 9. The ribs 25 on the upper surface ofthe body 9 and of the upper arm 10 are received in the recess 26 formedin the lower surface of the body 9 and in the lower surface of the lowerarm 11 of a like block.

It will be seen that a very secure interlock between the blocks 4 and 5of the superstructure 1 is afforded.

As to Ventilation, the air enters the wall blocks 5 by way of theopening and moves upwardly through the passage 29. The passages 29 arein communication, in superposed courses in the wall, and there is avertical movement of the air. Moreover, there is a horizontal movementof the air from the passages 29, through the registering grooves 27 and28 (Figure 9) of superposed courses.

As to the junction block 6 of Figure 10, it is constructed very muchlike the wall blocks '4 and 5, hereinbefore described, and partshereinbefore detailed have been designated in Figure 10, by numeralspreviously used, with the suffix a.

The junction block 6 of Figure 10 has a rectangular offset 31 providedwith a recess 32 communicating with the recess 29a. The shoulder 33 atthe outer end of the offset 31 corresponds to the shoulder 12a. Thegroove 34 in the offset 31 corresponds to the groove 28a. The groves 35in the shoulder 33 correspond to the grooves 18a. The socket 36.corresponds to the socket 22a and is formed in the lower arm 41 of theofiset 31. The inclined end 37 of the arm 41 corresponds to the inclinedend 15a. The lug 38 on the inclined end 37 is represented by the lug20a. The groove 39 is the counterpart of the groove 24a. The ribs 40join the ribs 25a and have the same function as the ribs 25a.

As to the partition block 7 of Figure 2, it is constructed like the wallblocks 4 and 5, saving for the fact that it need not necessarily be sothick as the wall blocks. In Fig 'ure 2, referring to the partitionblock 7, parts hereinbefore described have been designated by numeralspreviously used, with the suffix b. The partition blocks 7 cooperatewith the offset 31 of the junction block 6 of Figure 10 in a way whichwill be understood readily when the description of Figures 6, 7, 8 and9, is recalled.

The corner blocks 8 of Figuresl, 12, 13 and 14 need not be described indetail, because they are substantially like the blocks shown in Figures6, 7, 8 and 9, aside from the fact that they are of rectangular form,whereas the blocks shown in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are straight. InFigures 12, 13 and 14, parts hereinbefore described have been designatedby numerals previously used, with the suffiX 77.

Having concluded the description of the superstructure 1 of Figure 1,the construction of the base 2 will now be taken up, the superstructurebeing mounted on the base. The base embodies corner blocks 42 and wallblocks 43. They comprise the recess 26d, the groove 27 (Z, the groove28d, the ribs 25d, and the passage 29d.

The blocks 42 and 43 of the base 2 are tongued and grooved together attheir ends, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, at 45, and have their endsbevelled, as at 44. The blocks 42 and 43 have an inwardly extended ledge46, carrying angle bars 47 between which is located, if desired, a stripof wood asshown at 48. The inner portions of the blocks 42 and 43 may besupplied with recesses 49 (Figures 2 and 3), receiving the ends of theangle bars 47 and the end of the strip 48. If desired, the recesses 49may be filled with cement, as shown at 50 in Figure 2, above thehorizontal flanges of the angle bars 47. It will be understood,moreover, that cement may be used wherever desired, as shown, at 51 inFigure 3 although the use of cement as indicated is optional. The stripof wood shown at 52 may extend parallel to the beams 4748, and besupported on the ledges 46.

The floor blocks 53, which are made out of cement or any other suitablematerial, are supported by ledges 46 and the horizontal flanges of theangle bars 47 of the beams.

Over the parts 50, 53, 47 and 48 (Figure 3) is laid the floor 54. Itwill be understood, however, that the general flooring structuredepicted in Figure 3 may be changed, should the builders so desire.

The base 2 rests on the foundation 3, which need not be described indetail saving to state, that, if the contractor wishes, he can providethe foundation 3 with ribs 55, extending upwardly into the recess 26d ofthe base 2, as shown in Figure 5.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A block comprising a body provided at one end with an overhangingupper arm, and

provided at its opposite end with a projecting lower arm, the armshaving elements adapted and shaped tointerengage when like a blocks arebrought together with the upper arm of one block disposed above thelower end of the other block, the body of the block being provided witha vertical passage, and there being open grooves in the upper surface ofthe upper arm, and in the lower surface I of the lower arm, the groovescommunicating at their inner ends with the passage.

2. A block comprising a body provided at one end with an overhangingupper arm, and provided at its opposite end with a projeeting lower arm,the body being provided with a vertical air passage spaced from the arm,the body and the upper arm being provided on their upper surface withupstanding ribs, and the body and the lower arm being provided on theirlower surface with a recess which receives the ribs of a like block,there being a groove in the lower surface of the body and of the lowerarm, said groove being disposed in the top of the recess, and therebeing a groove in the upper surface of the body and of the upper arm,the lastspecified groove being located between the ribs, the groovescommunicating with the passage, and the grooves communicating insuperposed blocks to afl'ord a horizontal communication between thepassages of adjoining blocks in the same course.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature.

GEORGE T. RICHARDS.

